Abstract In this study, the Gasteruptiidae (Hymenoptera, Evanioidea) collected in three environments at the Department of Rocha, in Eastern Uruguay, were documented based on a survey carried out with Malaise traps between December 2014 and December 2016. During the samplings, four species of Gasteruption Latreille, 1796 were captured, being 14 females and three males of Gasteruption brachychaetun Schrottky, 1906; eight females and five males of Gasteruption brasiliense (Blanchard, 1840); one female of Gasteruption helenae Macedo, 2011 and one female of Gasteruption brandaoi Macedo, 2011. Gasteruption brachychaetun, G. helenae and G. brandaoi are recorded by the first time from Uruguay.

Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) es una especie polífaga, con estatus de plaga cuarentenaria en Uruguay, que ha sido registrada en Europa, Asia, África, Oceanía, y más recientemente, en los países vecinos de América del Sur. Este es el primer registro confirmado de H. armigera en cultivos de soja, en Uruguay. La identificación de esta especie es difícil por su proximidad taxonómica con otras especies de los géneros Helicoverpa y Heliothis. La confirmación de identificación se realizó mediante caracteres anatómicos externos y de las genitalias, así como estudio de ADN, en machos adultos capturados en trampas de feromona sexual y larvas criadas en laboratorio, recolectadas en cultivos de soja en cuatro localidades de Flores, Lavalleja, Cerro Largo y Rocha.

Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is a polyphagous species, in quarantine pest status in Uruguay, that has been reported in Europe, Asia, Africa, Oceania, and more recently, in the neighboring contries of South America. This is the first confirmed report for H. armigera in soybean crops, in Uruguay. The identification of this species is difficult because of its taxonomic proximity with other species of Helicoverpa and Heliothis genera. The confirmed identification was made upon external morphological characteristics, male genitalia, and DNA analysis, on adult males captured with pheromone traps and larvae reared in laboratory, collected from soybean fields, from four locations from Flores, Lavalleja, Cerro Largo and Rocha.

Crocidosema (Epinotia) aporema (Walsingham) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), ataca leguminosas forrajeras y soja (Glycine max L.) en América del Sur. En Uruguay, en los últimos años, ha disminuido el número de aplicaciones para el control de esta especie en soja, y paralelamente, el sistema productivo se ha modificado haciéndose más agrícola y con predominancia de este cultivo en el Litoral Norte. En este nuevo escenario, es necesario determinar si hubo un cambio en la composición y eficiencia de las comunidades de enemigos naturales que afectan a C. aporema. Esta información es necesaria para programas de manejo de esta plaga. El objetivo de este trabajo fue actualizar la lista de parasitoides y entomopatógenos que atacan el estado larval de C. aporema en Uruguay, para lo cual se registró y cuantificó su presencia en cultivos de Lotus corniculatus L. y de soja (Glycine max L.). Los muestreos se realizaron semanalmente durante dos años. La mortalidad total de larvas del C. aporema fue baja durante todo el período. Los enemigos naturales encontrados fueron el hongo Zoophthora radicans (Entomophthorales), cuya presencia ya había sido citada en el país, un nemátodo que no fue identificado y el endoparasitoide larval Trathala sp. Cameron (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae), primer registro para C. aporema en el cultivo de soja en Uruguay.

Crocidosema (Epinotia) aporema (Walsingham) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) damages forage-legumes and soybeans (Glycine max L.) in South America. In Uruguay, the use of chemical insecticides to control this species in soybeans has decreased in the past few years. During this period, the production system has undergone modifications, becoming increasingly agricultural with a predominance of this crop in the northwestern region of the country. Given this new scenario, it must be determined if the composition and efficiency of C. aporema natural enemies´ communities have experienced any changes. This information needs to be considered in management programs that address this pest. The objective of this study was to update the list of larvae parasitoids and entomopathogens attacking the larval stage of C. aporema in Uruguay, recording and quantifying their presence in Lotus corniculatus L. and soybeans (Glycine max L.). Samples were taken weekly for two years. The total mortality of larvae of C. aporema was low throughout the period. The natural enemies found were Zoophthora radicans (Entomophthorales), which had been reported earlier; a non-identified nematode; and the larval endoparasitoid Trathala sp. Cameron (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae), first record for C. aporema in soybeans in Uruguay.

Crocidosema (= Epinotia) aporema (Walsingham) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) é uma broca das axilas que se alimenta de soja e leguminosas forrageiras. Sua importância econômica é restrita à América do Sul onde pode alternar, ao longo do ano, entre leguminosas forrageiras e grãos. O feromônio sexual das fêmeas de C. aporema é composto de uma mistura 15:1 de (7Z,9Z)-dodeca-7,9-dieno-1-ol e acetato de (7Z,9Z)-dodeca-7,9-dienila. Com o intuito de desenvolver uma ferramenta para monitoramento deste inseto praga, os dois componentes do feromônio foram sintetizados e avaliou-se, em um experimento de campo no Uruguai, a captura de machos em armadilhas iscadas com diferentes misturas do feromônio sintético. Os dienos conjugados foram obtidos a partir de 2-pentin-1-ol e 1,7-heptanodiol, através da oxidação do primeiro, seguido pelo acoplamento de Wittig e redução da ligação tripla catalisada com Zn. A mistura 1:1 testada no campo foi a mais eficiente na captura dos machos. As armadilhas de feromônio foram atrativas por mais de 40 dias, mesmo com pequenas quantidades dos compostos (0,1 mg) impregnadas nos septos, e com baixas densidades populacionais dos insetos no campo.

Crocidosema (= Epinotia) aporema (Walsingham) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) is a bud borer that feeds on soybean and forage legumes. Its economic importance is restricted to South America, where it can alternate throughout the year between forage and grain legumes. The sex pheromone of C. aporema females is composed of a 15:1 mixture of (7Z,9Z)-dodeca-7,9-dien-1-ol and (7Z,9Z)-dodeca-7,9-dienyl acetate. Aiming at the development of a monitoring tool, it was synthesized both components of the pheromone and evaluated male captures in pheromone traps baited with different blends of synthetic pheromone, in an experimental soybean field in Uruguay. The conjugated dienes were obtained from 2-pentyn-1-ol and 1,7-heptanediol, by oxidation of the former, Wittig coupling and Zn-catalyzed reduction of the triple bond. The 1:1 mixture was the most efficient in capturing males. The pheromone traps were attractive for up to 40 days, even with small septum loads (0.1 mg) and low population levels.

Background: Hyaline cartilage has only a very restricted capability of regeneration in the adult. The incidence of chondral lesions at the knee is high, especially those of Grade II/III (Outerbridge). Therapies combining cells and biological scaffolds are promising biological approaches for the treatment of cartilage defects. The aim of this study is to analyze the characteristics of in vitro culture of human chondrocytes on decellularized amniochorionic membrane (ACM). Methods: Between December 2010 and December 2011, 16 samples of cartilage from a living donor were processed, but only 7 of them were analyzed. Chondrocytes were grown and amplified on plastic and on ACM. The following analyses were carried out with those cells: interactions between cells and ACM; ACM capacity as a matrix for cells; and behavior of cells cultured on ACM. Results: In vitro chondrocytes exhibited phenotypic changes in the presence of ACM. The cells were able to adhere and remain on the spongy region of the membrane. Electron microscopy of cultured ACM showed cells, well preserved organelles, endoplasmic reticulum and desmosomes junctions. Conclusions: The feasibility of culturing chondrocytes on ACM was shown in this work. The cells were able to adhere, remain and differentiate on this membrane during the study period.

Introducción: El tejido cartilaginoso articular presenta escasa capacidad regenerativa. Existe alta incidencia de lesiones condrales en la rodilla, especialmente de grado II/III (Outerbridge). El uso combinado de células autólogas cultivadas con membranas biológicas es una posibilidad terapéutica. El objetivo del presente trabajo es analizar las características del desarrollo in vitro de condrocitos humanos sobre una membrana amniocoriónica acelular (MAC) desecada. Materiales y métodos: Entre diciembre de 2010 y diciembre de 2011 se procesaron 16 muestras de cartílago de donante vivo, de las cuales se analizaron siete. Los condrocitos fueron cultivados y amplificados sobre plástico, a partir de lo cual se realizaron los siguientes análisis: interacción entre células y MAC, capacidad de la MAC como matriz para las células y comportamiento de las células cultivadas sobre la MAC. Resultados: Los condrocitos in vitro mostraron cambios fenotípicos en presencia de MAC. Las células fueron capaces de adherirse y permanecer en la región esponjosa de la membrana. La microscopia electrónica de las MAC cultivadas mostró la presencia de células, organelas celulares bien conservadas, retículo endoplásmico y uniones de tipo desmosoma. Conclusiones: Este trabajo muestra la factibilidad de cultivar condrocitos sobre MAC. Las células fueron capaces de adherirse, permanecer y diferenciarse sobre la membrana durante el tiempo del estudio.

Piezodorus guildinii (Westwood) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) es la chinche predominante en los sistemas de rotaciones cultivos-pasturas del Uruguay. Esta especie provoca pérdidas en soja y leguminosas forrajeras y existen escasos registros de controladores naturales. Entre 2004/05 y 2006/07 se realizaron muestreos de huevos en Soriano, Paysandú y Colonia para determinar la incidencia de parasitoides en P.guildinii, en cultivos de soja y leguminosas forrajeras representativos de la región tradicional de producción del litoral oeste. Los parasitoides encontrados fueron: Telenomus podisi (Ashmead), Trissolcus brochymenae (Ashmead), Trissolcus basalis (Wollaston), Trissolcus urichi (Crawford) y Trissolcus teretis (Johnson). Telenomus podisi predominó, alcanzando, en promedio, el 93,25% de los parasitoides emergidos de los huevos colectados.

Piezodorus guildinii (Westwood) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) is the main stink bug in the agricultural-grazing production systems of Uruguay. This species causes losses in soybeans and grazing legumes and accounts a few reports of natural enemies. In order to assess the incidence of egg parasitoids for this pentatomid in soybeans and forage legumes in Western Uruguay, egg samplings were made between 2004/05 and 2006/07 at Soriano, Paysandú and Colonia. Telenomus podisi (Ashmead), Trissolcus brochymenae (Ashmead), Trissolcus basalis (Wollaston), Trissolcus urichi (Crawford) and Trissolcus teretis (Johnson) were the scelionid species of egg parasitoids for P. guildinii in those regions of Uruguay. T. podisi predominated achieving, in average, 93.25% of the adult parasitoids emerged from the total sampled eggs.

El ácaro del enrollamiento del trigo Aceria tosichella (Keifer), vector de importantes virosis que afectan trigo y maíz, fue recientemente detectado en Argentina. Este hallazgo alertó el riesgo de diseminación de esta plaga en los países vecinos del Cono Sur. Con el objetivo de determinar la presencia de este ácaro en Uruguay, fue realizada una prospección en trigo, cebada, maíz y otras gramíneas comúnmente asociadas al área de producción de trigo en este país, a principios de noviembre de 2007. Ejemplares de A. tosichella fueron colectados en trigo, Triticum aestivum L. en Ombúes de Lavalle, Tarariras y San Juan, Departmento de Colonia y en San Javier, Departmento de Río Negro; y también en raigrás, Lolium multiflorum Lam (Rosario y San Juan, Colonia; Cardona, Soriano) y cebadilla, Bromus unioloides (Willd.) Kunth (Rosario, Colonia). Esta es la primera referencia de A. tosichella en Uruguay y la primera vez que este ácaro es encontrado, en prospecciones de campo, en un hospedero diferente de trigo en América del Sur.

The Wheat Curl Mite (WCM), Aceria tosichella (Keifer), a vector of important virus that affect wheat and corn, was recently detected in South America, in Argentina. This found alerted to the risk of dissemination of the pest to neighbor countries in the continent. Aiming to determine the status of the WCM in Uruguay, a survey of eriophyid mites associated with wheat, barley, corn and other common grasses was conducted in the main wheat production areas of this country, in November 2007. WCM specimens were collected from wheat, Triticum aestivum L., in Ombúes de Lavalle, Tarariras and San Juan, Department of Colonia and in San Javier, Department of Río Negro; and also from ryegrass, Lolium multiflorum Lam (Rosario and San Juan, Colonia; Cardona, Soriano) and brome, Bromus unioloides (Willd.) Kunth (Rosario, Colonia). This is the first report of A. tosichella in Uruguay and also the first time the mite is found, in field surveys, on other hosts different from wheat in South America.

Entre agosto de 2005 y septiembre de 2007 se realizó la prospección de enemigos naturales de áfidos en alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), trébol rojo (Trifolium pratense L.) y lotus (Lotus corniculatus L.). La misma incluyó semilleros comerciales de cada leguminosa en La Estanzuela (Colonia) y un área de lotus de pastoreo en EEMAC (Paysandú). Los muestreos se realizaron con frecuencia quincenal y consistieron en corte de plantas en 30 cuadrados de 30 x 30 cm. En laboratorio, los áfidos muertos se separaron de las plantas y se conservaron individualmente hasta identificar la causa de mortalidad. Se identificaron los áfidos presentes y sus poblaciones se estimaron mediante método volumétrico. Las especies de áfidos registradas en los diferentes cultivos y situaciones, en el período, fueron: Therioaphis trifolii (Monnell), Acyrthosiphon pisum (Harris), Acyrthosiphon kondoi Shinji, Aphis craccivora Koch y Nearctaphis bakeri (Cowen). Los principales agentes de mortalidad fueron parasitoides y el hongo Pandora neoaphidis (Remaudière y Hennebert) Humber (Entomophthoromycotina: Entomophthorales). Tanto las poblaciones como la mortalidad natural de áfidos tuvieron variaciones amplias entre años y en las diferentes situaciones muestreadas. El hongo provocó mayor mortalidad que los parasitoides, aunque su acción estuvo restringida a los meses de otoño e invierno, en los dos años. Los parasitoides estuvieron presentes en todas las situaciones de muestreo. En lotus, en ambas regiones y zafras el total de parasitoides colectados fue igual o mayor que el de P. neoaphidis. Contrariamente, en trébol rojo y alfalfa la colecta total de este hongo fue siempre significativamente mayor que la de parasitoides.

Between August of 2005 and September of 2007 a survey of natural enemies of aphids in lucerne (Medicago sativa L.), red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) and birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus L.) was carried out. Commercial crops of each legume were sampled at La Estanzuela (Colonia) and one area of birdsfoot trefoil at EEMAC (Paysandú). Thirty 30 x 30 cm plant samples were cut every two weeks. In the lab, dead aphids were separated from the plants, and individually maintained until cause of mortality was defined. Aphid species were identified and an estimate of population density was made using a volumetric method. Aphid species recorded in the different crops during the period were: Therioaphis trifolii (Monnell), Acyrthosiphon pisum (Harris), Acyrthosiphon kondoi Shinji, Aphis craccivora Koch and Nearctaphis bakeri (Cowen). Main mortality factors were parasitoids and the fungus Pandora neoaphidis (Remaudière and Hennebert) Humber (Entomophthoromycotina: Entomophthorales). Aphid abundance as well as natural mortality varied widely between years and sampling situations. P. neoaphidis caused higher mortality rates than parasitoids though its action was restricted to autumn and winter, in both years. Parasitoids were found through all sampling period. In birdsfoot trefoil, in both years and regions, total number of collected parasitoids was equal or similar to the number of aphids killed by fungi. On the contrary, in red clover and lucerne, the number of aphids killed by fungi was always significantly higher than those affected by parasitoids.

O efeito estimulante da spiperona e da naloxana sob a maturação ovariana foram avaliados em fêmeas de Aegla uruguayana Schmitt, 1942 e, para isto, tais neuroreguladores foram incorporados ao alimento e administrados a uma dose de 10-8 mol/animal a cada sessão de alimentação. Fêmeas adultas foram coletadas com puçá em um arroio próximo à cidade de Salto, Província de Buenos Aires, Argentina. Dez fêmeas foram sacrificadas, medidas, pesadas e os seus ovários foram retirados e pesados para a determinação do índice gonadossomático (IG). As demais fêmeas (30) foram divididas em três grupos experimentais - (a) controle: alimentadas com pellets controle composto por ração para peixe - 34% de proteína e 43% de proteína; (b) spiperona: alimentadas com pellets controle enriquecidos com spiperona; (c) naloxana: alimentadas com pellets controle enriquecidos com naloxana. Após 7 semanas as fêmeas foram sacrificadas e avaliado o IG. Os ovários e o hepatopâncreas foram quantificados quanto aos níveis de lipídeos totais e colesterol. A naloxana produziu um aumento significativo nos níveis de lipídeos tanto nas gônadas como no hepatopâncreas em relação ao grupo controle. A spiperona produziu aumento significativo nos níveis de lipídeos nas gônadas e no hepatopâncreas e de colesterol no hepatopâncreas quando comparados ao controle. Os níveis de lipídeos foram significativamente menores na hemolinfa das fêmeas que foram alimentadas com pellets com spiperona e maiores nas fêmeas tratadas com naloxana quando comparadas as fêmeas que foram alimentadas apenas com ração. A spiperona e a naloxana, ao inibir os efeitos da dopamina e dos opióides endógenos, provavelmente causaram a secreção do hormônio estimulante das gônadas e a inibição do hormônio inibidor das gônadas, causando, portanto indução do desenvolvimento ovariano. Tal hipótese é reforçada pelos aumentos do índice gonadossomático verificado nestes grupos experimentais.

The stimulatory effect of the spiperone and naloxone on the ovarian growth was evaluated in females of Aegla uruguayana Schmitt, 1942, being that these neuroregulators were incorporated to food and administrated at a dose of 10-8 mol/animal to each session food. Adult females were sampled with nets in a stream near the municipality of Salto, Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina. At the beginning of the experiment, 10 females were randomly selected, sacrificed, weighed and their ovaries were quickly dissected and weighed to serve as the initial control for evaluating the degree of ovarian growth (gonadosomatic index -GI). Others females (30) were divided in three experimental groups - (a) control: females fed on control pellets composed by fish food - 34% protein and 43% protein; (b) spiperone: females fed on pellets enriched with the dopaminegic antagonist spiperone; (c) naloxone: females fed on pellets enriched with the enkephalinergic antagonist naloxone. After seven week of experiment the females were sacrificed and evaluated the GI. The lipids and cholesterol levels of ovaries and hepatopancreas were quantified. Naloxone produced a significant increase of lipids levels in both ovaries and hepatopancreas in relation to control group. Spiperone caused significant increase of lipids levels at the gonads and hepatopancreas and cholesterol in hepatopancreas when compared with the control. The lipids levels were significantly lower in hemolymph of the females that were fed with pellets with spiperone and higher at the females treated with naloxone when compared to females that were fed only fish food. The spiperone and naloxone when inhibited the effect of the dopamine and endogenous opioids, probably caused the secretion of the gonad stimulating hormone and the inhibition of the gonad inhibiting hormone, therefore induction of the ovarian development. Such hypothesis can be strengthened for the increases of gonadosomatic indices in these experimental groups.

Se utilizó al anomuro de agua dulce Aegla platensis como modelo para inducir el crecimiento ovárico mediante el agregado de diferentes neuroreguladores a una formulación de alimento pelleteado. Los compuestos agregados fueron el inhibidor dopaminergico spiperona ó el inhibidor encefalinérgico naloxone, ambos a una dosis de 10-8 moles/animal. Los animales fueron alimentados dos veces a la semana con pellets enriquecidos con alguno de los neuroreguladores. Luego de 7 semanas, se calculó el índice gonadomático (IG) como (peso gonadal fresco/ peso corporal fresco) x 100. El IG mostró un incremento significativamente sólo en aquellas hembras alimentadas con pellets enriquecidos con spiperona, en comparación con un grupo control que recibió pellets sin agregado alguno. Durante el período ensayado, la spiperona estaría revirtiendo el arresto ejercido por la dopamina sobre la estimulación neuroendocrina del crecimiento ovárico. Por otro lado, para ambos grupos experimentales (spiperona y naloxone), un mayor valor de IG estuvo correlacionado a un mayor incremento del contenido de lípidos tanto en gonadas como en hepatopáncreas, sugiriendo una demanda energética incrementada en relación con una activa inversión en reproducción

The freshwater crab Aegla platensis was used as a model to induce ovarian growth by adding different neuroregulators to a pellet food formulation. Added compounds were the dopaminergic inhibitor spiperone or the enkephalinergic inhibitor naloxone, both of them at a dose of 10-8 mol/animal. Animals were fed on the enriched pellets twice a week. After 7 wk, the gonadosomatic index (GI) was calculated as (gonad fresh weight / body fresh weight) x 100. GI significantly increased only for those females fed on spiperone pellets, compared to a control group receiving pellets with no compound added. During the assayed period, spiperone would be reverting the arrest exerted by dopamine on the neuroendocrine stimulation of ovarian growth. On the other hand, for both spiperone and naloxone a higher GI was correlated to a higher lipid content of both gonads and/or hepatopancreas, suggesting an increased energetic demand in accordance with an active investment in reproduction. Rev. Biol. Trop. 56 (3): 1201-1207. Epub 2008 September 30.